JP2019532468A - Temperature control device, system and method for intelligent lighting control system - Google Patents

Abstract

An intelligent lighting control system is provided. A lighting control system detects a temperature reading from a temperature sensor of each lighting control module in a plurality of lighting control modules. Each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules is configured to transmit an amount of electric energy to the lighting circuit of the lighting equipment electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. The lighting control system controls at least one of the heating and air conditioning systems to adjust heating or cooling based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor of the lighting control module. [Selection] Figure 8

Description

  This application claims the priority of US provisional patent application 62/383755 filed on September 6, 2016, entitled "INTELLIGENT LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEM TEMPERATURE CONTROL APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS". Incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  The present invention generally relates to the field of lighting control systems.

  Customization and automation of home lighting control devices is often due to the installation of poorly lit lighting switches that are confused and mapped to each facility. The automated home lighting control system will also include a large, complex and expensive central hub that requires specialists or skilled technicians for installation and / or operation. Small bulbs and / or Wi-Fi connectable bulbs introduced into any of these backgrounds or even simpler, unfortunately, are light switches and / or lights associated with lighting fixtures. It can be limited by the equipment itself. For example, when the illumination switch associated with the small light bulb is switched off, the small light bulb becomes inoperable.

  The inventor has realized that the various embodiments disclosed herein provide an apparatus, system and method for detecting activities and situations to intelligently control a lighting control system.

  Various embodiments provide a method for controlling a lighting control system. The method includes detecting a temperature reading from a temperature sensor of each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules. Each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules is configured to transmit an amount of electric energy to the lighting circuit of the lighting equipment electrically connected to the respective lighting control module. The method includes controlling at least one of the heating and air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling based on a temperature detected by a temperature sensor of the lighting control module.

  In certain embodiments, the method includes identifying an average temperature from the plurality of temperatures.

  In some embodiments, the method includes changing the adjustment in response to the lighting control module changing the transmission of the amount of electrical energy to the lighting circuit of the lighting fixture.

  In one embodiment, the method includes identifying a weighted average temperature from a plurality of temperatures, wherein one or more lighting control modules that connect the light source to each lighting fixture are more heavily weighted.

  In some embodiments, the method includes generating a thermal map based on the position of the lighting control module.

  In some embodiments, the method identifies a distance between the lighting control modules via transmission of a wireless signal from one lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules to another lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules. Includes steps.

  In one embodiment, each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules is in a wall box or at least one of within a predetermined range. The method may further include excluding temperature readings that are pre-specified thresholds above other readings.

  In some embodiments, the method includes excluding temperature readings when the dimming circuit of the lighting control module is active.

  In certain embodiments, the method includes detecting an occupancy state via an occupancy sensor of one or more lighting control modules, and further comprises changing the adjustment in response to the detection of the occupancy state.

  In certain embodiments, the method includes controlling the heating and / or air conditioning system via wireless communication with a thermostat communicatively coupled to the heating and / or air conditioning system.

  In certain embodiments, the method includes grouping the sensors into one or more groups based on temperatures within a predetermined range of each other.

  In some embodiments, the one or more groups include groups corresponding to the inner wall.

  In some embodiments, the one or more groups include groups corresponding to the outer walls.

  Various embodiments include a lighting control system apparatus. The apparatus includes a base module that includes a base housing that forms a well. The base module is positioned in the well and connected to a power terminal configured to receive current from an alternating current (AC) power source and to allow the base module to be electrically connected to a lighting circuit of a lighting fixture. A first electrical connector. The base module houses a first temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the first electrical connector. The apparatus includes a light switch module configured to at least partially nest in the well of the base module. The lighting switch module includes a module housing, a graphical user interface coupled to the module housing, a second electrical connector configured to engage and electrically couple with the first electrical connector of the base module when nested therein. A second temperature sensor coupled to the graphical user interface and the second electrical connector, and dimmed to generate a plurality of lighting scenes by varying illumination of a light source positioned in the housing and connected to the lighting fixture A switch control circuit including a processor configured to regulate the flow of electrical energy to the lighting circuit through the appliance circuit. The processor is configured to identify a temperature gradient between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor.

  Various embodiments provide a method for controlling a lighting control system. A method includes: a module housing of a lighting switch module configured for nesting at least partially in a first temperature reading from a first temperature sensor positioned at a base portion of the lighting control module and in a well of the base module Detecting a second temperature reading from a second temperature sensor positioned at. The method includes controlling at least one of the heater and the air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling based on the detected temperature.

  Various embodiments provide a computer program product for operating a lighting control system apparatus according to one or more of the preceding embodiments and examples. A computer program product is coupled to one or more processors, and when executed by one or more processors, according to any one of the preceding embodiments described and / or according to any one of the devices disclosed herein. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that cause one or more processors to perform operations for operating the lighting control system apparatus may be included.

  Various embodiments provide an illumination control system apparatus for automatic illumination adjustment, the apparatus comprising an illumination control system configured to operate according to one or more of the preceding embodiments and examples.

  All combinations of the above concepts and additional concepts described in more detail below (such concepts provided are not inconsistent with each other) are considered to be part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. You should understand that. In particular, all combinations of claimed subject matter at the end of this disclosure are considered to be part of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein. It should also be understood that terminology explicitly employed herein that may appear in any disclosure incorporated by reference should be treated in a manner that most closely matches the particular concept disclosed herein.

  The drawings are primarily for purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, and in certain instances, various aspects of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein may be exaggerated or enlarged in the drawings to facilitate understanding of different configurations. In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate similar features (e.g., functionally similar and / or structurally similar elements).

FIG. 1A is a partially exploded perspective view of a lighting control device. FIG. 1B is a fully developed view of the lighting control device of FIG. 1A. FIG. 2A shows the lighting control device of FIG. 1A installed on a wall. FIG. 2B shows a multiple switch lighting control device. FIG. 2C shows a multiple switch lighting control device. FIG. 3A shows a room having a lighting control device that is displaced through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device. FIG. 3B shows a room having a lighting control device that varies through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device. FIG. 3C shows a room with a lighting control device that varies through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device. FIG. 3D shows a room having a lighting control device that varies through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device. FIG. 3E shows a room having a lighting control device that varies through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device. FIG. 3F shows a room having a lighting control device that varies through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device. FIG. 4 provides a flow diagram for the operation of the system for controlling the lighting control device. FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a system for remotely operating a lighting control device. FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram of a system for remotely configuring the operation of the lighting control device. FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method for operating a lighting control system. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a lighting control system. FIG. 9A shows a lighting control system that includes multiple lighting control devices. FIG. 9B shows a lighting control system that includes multiple lighting control devices. FIG. 10 schematically shows a lighting control device.

  The structure and effect of the inventive subject matter disclosed herein will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings.

  The following is a more detailed description of various concepts and exemplary embodiments related to the inventive system, method and components of the lighting control device.

  FIG. 1A is a partially exploded perspective view of the lighting control device 100. The lighting control device 100 includes a switch module 102 that includes a lighting switch actuator 106 and a haptic display 104 stored in the lighting switch actuator 106. The lighting control device 100 also includes a wall plate cover 108 that includes a switch module opening 110 extending therethrough. The lighting control device 100 also includes a base module 112 that is configured to couple to the switch module 102 via a multi-pin socket 114. Base module 112 is sized and configured to be accommodated within a gang wall electrical box and has a volume substantially corresponding thereto. Base module 112 is configured to be coupled to a wall electrical box via connection tab 116 and fastener opening 118 in connection tab 116.

  The light switch actuator 106 includes an external actuation surface 122, which can be constructed of glass as further described herein. For example, the operation surface 122 becomes movable by, for example, pressing the curved lower end 120 and turning the illumination switch actuator 106. The turning of the illumination switch actuator 106 and the actuation surface 122 moves the contact component (shown in FIG. 2) of the switch actuator 106 from the first position to the second position. The movement of the contact component connects the current path, for example by connecting two electrical contacts or by connecting the contact component to an electrical contact. By connecting the current path, the electrical energy supplied by the power source connected to the base module 112 powers or activates the haptic display 104, as will be described in further detail herein. The tactile display 104 is constructed in a switch module and moves simultaneously with at least a portion of the actuation surface 122 and the actuator 106. The tactile display 104, when activated or powered, allows a user to define or select a predefined lighting setting, which changes the voltage or power supplied to one or more lighting fixtures. The change in power supplied to the lighting equipment includes, but is not limited to, multiple different voltages supplied to each equipment, location, light intensity, light color, bulb type, lighting type, ambient light level , Time, activity type, room temperature, noise level, energy cost, user proximity, user identification, or other various parameters that may be specified or detected. Furthermore, the lighting control device 100 can be connected to all lighting in a room or even in a residence, and is one or more other lighting control devices located in the unit or room and connected to the same or separate lighting fixtures. It can be configured to operate in conjunction with 100.

  FIG. 1B is a fully developed view of the lighting control device 100 of FIG. 1A. As shown in FIG. 1B, the haptic display 104 is positioned between the external actuation surface 122 and the light switch actuator 106. The actuation surface 122 is comprised of an impact resistant glass material that allows light from a path that is visible to the tactile display 104 and / or the sensor 127, or other light, such as light from the illumination pipe 126 to indicate actuation, to operate. Surface 122 can be passed through. The tactile display 104 is comprised of a capacitive touch layer 124 and a light emitting diode panel 125 with a polymer controlled via one or more modules or processors positioned on the printed circuit board 129. The tactile display 104 is stored in the recess 131 of the light switch actuator 106 below the actuation surface 122. The light switch actuator 106 may be formed as a thermoplastic housing that includes a housing cover 133 and a housing base 135. The light switch actuator housing cover 133 is pivotally connected to the housing base 135 via pins 136, and the housing cover 133 is deflected relative to the housing base 135 via a torsion spring 137. In certain embodiments, the light switch actuator housing cover 133 may be configured to slide or translate or rotate. The external actuation surface 122 is deflected with the switch actuator housing cover 133 and moves simultaneously in concert with the haptic display 104 stored in the cover component 133 of the lighting switch actuator 106. The lighting switch actuator 106 includes switch pins 128 that are movable between positions to close the open circuit on the main printed circuit board substrate 150, and the board also stores a switch controller or processor. In some embodiments, the light switch actuator 106 may include a circuit board stack that includes a main printed circuit board substrate 150 and a secondary printed circuit board 138. The light switch actuator 106 may include a latch 136 for coupling to the base module 112 (eg, so that the light switch actuator 106 is threaded through the opening 110 in the wall plate cover 108), which causes the light switch actuator 106 to be Mating. The housing base 135 includes a multi-pin connector or plug 134 configured to engage the multi-pin socket 114 of the base module 112.

  The lighting control device 100 includes a mounting chassis 142 configured to be installed in a wall electrical box. The mounting chassis 142 provides a flat surface for installation of other modules (eg, base module 112 and switch module 102). When the base module is connected to the wall electrical box via the mounting chassis 142, the wall plate cover 108 can be coupled to the mounting chassis 142 and the light switch actuator 106 can be inserted through the opening 110 of the switch module. In certain embodiments, the wall plate cover may be coupled to the mounting chassis 142 and / or the tabs 116 of the base module via magnets. The magnet may be concave in some openings in the wall plate cover 108. As described above, the base module 112 is configured to be coupled to the mounting chassis 142 via the connection tabs 116. The base module 112 is further configured to be electrically coupled to a power source (eg, an electrical wire from an electrical breaker box to a wall electrical box) and one or more lighting fixtures wired to the electrical box. Thus, the base module 112 provides an interface between the power source, the lighting switch actuator 106 and one or more lighting fixtures. The base module manages the processor 140 and circuit board 141 to manage the power supplied by the power source and distributed to one or more lighting fixtures according to the selection of lighting settings specified via the lighting switch actuator 106 or the tactile display 104. including.

  One or more of the processors on the printed circuit board 138 and the base module processor 140 may be a cell phone, tablet, laptop, other portable computing device, one or more other lighting control devices 100 or others operating in place. A wireless link for communication with one or more remote electronic devices, such as a plurality of electronic devices. In certain embodiments, such as, but not limited to, a light bulb, thermostat, garage door opener, door lock, remote control, television, security system, security camera, smoke detector, video game console, robotic system, or by wireless link Communication with one or more devices including other communicable sensing and / or actuation devices or equipment is possible. The wireless link is BLUETOOTH® class, Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth-low-energy, also known as BLE, 802.15.4, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX®), red. It may include outer channels or satellite bands. The wireless link may also include any cellular network standard used for communication between portable devices including, but not limited to, standards applicable to 1G, 2G, 3G or 4G. Network standards may fall into one or more generations of mobile communication standards by meeting specifications or standards, such as those maintained by the International Telecommunications Union. The 3G standard can correspond to, for example, the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) specification, and the 4G standard can correspond to the International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced (IMT-Advanced) specification. Examples of cellular network standards include AMPS, GSM®, GPRS, UMTS, LTE, LTE Advanced, Mobile WiMAX, and WiMAX-Advanced. The cellular network standard may use various channel access methods such as FDMA, TDMA, CDMA, or SDMA. In certain embodiments, different types of data may be transmitted over different links and standards. In other embodiments, the same type of data may be transmitted over different links and standards.

  FIG. 2A shows the lighting control device 100 of FIG. 1A installed on a wall 200. As shown in FIG. 2A, the base module 112 becomes invisible when the lighting control device 100 is installed in consideration of the wall plate cover 108. Since the wall plate cover 108 is attached to the base module 112, the wall plate cover 108 appears to float on the wall 200. The lighting control device 100 can be activated by the user 103 interacting with the external actuation surface 122 and the haptic display 104.

  2B and 2C show multiple switch configurations for multiple lighting control devices. FIGS. 2B and 2C show two switch and three switch embodiments, respectively, where the lighting control devices 202 and 203 are each a lighting switch actuator 106, further auxiliary switches 204 and 208, and two and three base modules 112. And each.

  3A-3F show a room having a lighting control device that is displaced through various lighting settings and lighting fixtures controlled by the lighting control device.

  In FIG. 3A, the lighting control device 300 is connected to a base module positioned behind the wall plate 308. The lighting control device 300 includes a dynamic lighting switch actuator 306 and an auxiliary lighting switch actuator that are operable similar to the lighting switch actuators described in connection with FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3A, the dark external working surface 322 of the light switch actuator 306 is inactive and not powered. In response to the user 103 moving the actuation surface 322 of the lighting switch actuator 306, the lighting switch actuator 306 begins to be powered, as shown in FIG. 3B. The power supply or operation of the light switch actuator 306 is indicated by a power light indicator 305 and a complete light setting icon 351. As shown in FIG. 3C, where the icon 351 is fully lit (not partially lit as in FIG. 3B), the lighting switch actuator 306 is fully powered. In this particular configuration, main lights 309 and 310 are all lit. FIG. 3D shows the displacement during the illumination setting. This displacement is facilitated through the user 103 completing a swipe gesture 312 along the actuation surface 322 across the haptic display 304, as shown in FIG. 3D. When the user completes gesture 312, icon 351 is swiped from haptic display 304 such that the haptic display toggles to the new lighting setting shown in FIG. 3E. The new lighting setting shown in FIG. 3E is displayed or specified by the dinner icon 352. The new lighting setting shown in FIG. 3 is such that the lighting equipment 309 is turned off and the lamp 316 and candlestick 318 are illuminated to change the lighting scene of the room. The change in the lighting setting results in a change in the distribution of power to certain lighting fixtures based on the selected lighting setting. A plurality of lighting settings may be pre-programmed in the lighting switch actuator 306, and specific lighting settings may be configured as specified by the user 103. The additional swipe gesture 315 shown in FIG. 3F or a different gesture is used to shift from the illumination setting of FIG. 3F indicated by the icon 352 to an additional illumination setting.

  FIG. 4 provides a flow diagram for the operation of the system for controlling the lighting control device. FIG. 4 illustrates the control operations of a control system, such as processor 130, configured to control lighting control device 100 or 300 according to various embodiments of the invention. At 401, the haptic display stored in the lighting switch actuator is activated by moving the lighting switch actuator, for example, by moving the working surface of the lighting switch actuator. At 402, lighting through the base module to allow or allow movement of the lighting switch actuator to move the contact component to a new position, thereby closing the current path between the power source and the lighting fixture. Power is supplied to a lighting facility that is electrically coupled to the switch actuator. The tactile display stored in the light switch actuator is moved simultaneously with the actuation surface. At 403, a light setting selection request is received via the haptic display, for example, by one or more specific movements in the haptic display. The lighting setting selection request specifies a certain lighting setting from among a plurality of lighting settings. The user may swipe multiple times and toggle through multiple lighting settings, including but not limited to half the light intensity of all connected lighting fixtures to reach half their peak power. Specific movements corresponding to specific lighting settings including swipes and taps may be performed. The lighting setting specifies an individual power distribution method for one or more lighting facilities connected to the lighting switch module. In 404, a power distribution technique is identified. At 405, the identified power distribution technique is transmitted by the base module, for example, in response to a control signal from the light switch actuator, and one, some, or all of the lighting based on the power distribution technique corresponding to the selected light setting. Adjust. The power distribution technique or profile may be stored in a memory device of the lighting control device. In certain embodiments, power distribution techniques can be adjusted to account for other parameters such as ambient lighting from natural light or an unconnected source. In certain embodiments, the power distribution technique may be adjusted based on one or more other sensor parameters. In certain embodiments, the lighting settings are based on time of day and sensed parameters such as light, temperature, noise, or activation of other devices including, but not limited to, any electronic device described herein. Can be adjusted by automation.

  FIG. 5 shows a flow diagram of a system for remotely operating a lighting control device. In certain embodiments, the lighting control device 100 or 300 may be operable by a remote device when the actuator switch is activated or powered. In such examples, the remote device may include one or more computer program applications such as system 500 that operates on the device to communicate with and control the lighting control device. Accordingly, at 501, the control system 500 activates the connection module to generate a communication interface between the portable electronic device and the lighting switch module. The connection module may cause the remote device to send one or more wireless transmissions to the lighting control device via a communication protocol. At 502, the control system 500 allows a remote device to generate an icon display on the display device of the portable electronic device to facilitate selection of lighting settings. At 503, the control system 500 receives a selection of lighting settings based on a user selecting a particular icon. At 504, the transmission module causes the selected lighting setting to be transmitted to the lighting control device, thereby allowing the lighting switch module and / or the base module to transmit a power distribution technique corresponding to the lighting setting to the lighting installation. . The haptic display of the lighting control device may be updated in response to receiving the lighting setting to display an icon selected on the portable electronic device and corresponding to the lighting setting selected on the haptic device.

  FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram of a system for remotely configuring the operation of the lighting control device. A remote device may include, but is not limited to, a mobile phone, a portable computing device, or a device that includes a computing device remote from a lighting control device. At 601, the portable electronic device generates a communication interface with the lighting switch module. At 602, the lighting equipment identification module initiates a protocol by the sensor to identify parameters associated with one or more lighting equipment connected to the lighting switch control module. At 603, an icon display appears on the display device of the portable electronic device by the display selection module. At 604, the lighting settings configuration module allows the user to create a power distribution technique or profile for the specified lighting fixture based on the user specified input regarding the specified parameters and light intensity. At 604, the storage module is used to store the power distribution technique and associate a particular lighting setting icon with the power distribution technique. At 605, the transmission module transmits the power distribution technique and the associated icon to the lighting switch control module.

  FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method that uses components of a lighting control system for temperature control. At 701, a temperature sensor in each lighting control module, such as the system 100, is used to detect temperature, and one or more temperature sensors in the other one or more respective lighting control modules are in other one or more temperature readings. Used to detect a value. At 702, the temperature detected by the lighting control module is adjusted by the heater and air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling in a building, room, or other location based on the temperature detected by a temperature sensor in the lighting control module. Used to control at least one of them.

  FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a lighting control system 800 configured to perform the lighting control operations described herein. The lighting control system 800 illustrates components of a lighting control system that can be implemented with a lighting control system that includes an air gap system, as described herein. The lighting control system 800 is shown divided into a base lighting control module 812 (which can be configured similar to the base module 112) and a switch module or switch controller 802 (which can be configured similar to the switch module 102). As described herein, switch module 802 may include a haptic interface operable via graphical user interface module 852 and switch actuators such as haptic display 104 and lighting switch actuator 106 described herein. The switch module 802 stores the processor 850, which sends commands to the microcontroller 840 and receives inputs from the microcontroller 840, and includes a transformer 818 and a power isolator and AC / DC converter 814 (including a flyback converter). And the operation of the voltage and current sensor 816 with a dimmer such as the TRIAC dimmer 813 can be configured. In certain embodiments, the base lighting control module 812 may include a MOSFET dimmer. The power isolator 814 separates the analog AC current from the low power or DC digital components in the base lighting control module 812 and the switch module 802. The power isolator 814 may provide a power input to the switch control module 802 via the power module 853. The power module 853 includes a power circuit configured to regulate power flow from the base module 812 to the switch controller module 802, including directing power to one or more modules in the switch controller module 802. The switch module 802 also stores a communication module, which may include one or more antennas or other wireless communication modules. The switch module 802 also stores a sensor module, which may include one or more sensors such as an optical sensor, a camera, a microphone, a thermometer, a humidity sensor, and an air quality sensor. The processor 850 is communicatively coupled to one or more modules in the switch module 802 to control modulation of the flow of electrical energy to, for example, the lighting circuit of the lighting fixture 824 connected to the base lighting control module 812. , Control the operation of these modules and receive input from them.

  Base lighting control module 812 includes a ground terminal 830 for grounding the containers of the various electrical components in module 812. Base lighting control module 812 includes a neutral terminal 828 for connection to a neutral wire, line terminal 826 and load terminal 822. As shown in FIG. 8, the voltage current sensor is coupled to the load line and detects a change in voltage or current along the line carrying power to one or more lighting fixtures 824 connected to the lighting circuit (750). ). Base lighting control module 812 also includes a controller 840 that is communicatively coupled to processor 850. Base lighting control module 812 also includes LED indicator lights 842 and 841 to indicate information regarding the status of base lighting control module 812. For example, in one embodiment, LED indicator lighting 841 can indicate whether a neutral wire is connected, while one LED indicator lighting 842 can indicate whether it is connected in a three-way connection. The base module also includes a thermometer or temperature sensor 860 that is communicatively coupled to the microcontroller 840.

  FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a lighting control system 900 that includes multiple lighting control subsystems distributed across a building (eg, a house, office, etc.), for example, in different rooms of the building. In the embodiment of the lighting control system 900 shown in FIG. 9A, the rooms 902a-d have separate lighting control systems. For example, the lighting control system of the room 902a includes a lighting control device 904a, a lighting circuit 910a, a light sensor 906a, and a motion sensor 908a. The lighting control system 900 may include a central lighting control device 904 that acts as a central control for the lighting control system 900. In certain embodiments, the central lighting control device 904 may include a lighting control system, such as the system 100 or 800.

  A lighting control system for a room 902a including a lighting control device 904a, a light sensor 906a, a motion sensor 908a, and a lighting circuit 910a will be described. However, the concepts and applications described are not limited to lighting control systems in room 902a, and are generally lighting control systems in other rooms (eg, 902b-d) or a lighting control sub that can be distributed across two or more rooms. Applicable to the system.

  The optical sensor 906a may be, for example, from ambient light (natural light and / or lighting equipment connected to the lighting circuit 910a) by converting electromagnetic energy (eg, photon energy) into an electrical signal (eg, current or voltage signal). Configured to detect light (which may include light). The electrical signal can be transmitted to the lighting control device 904a. The optical sensor 906a can include one or more photoresistors, photodiodes, charge coupled devices, and the like. The optical sensor 906a may include an optical filter that preferentially allows light of a certain frequency to be detected by the optical sensor 906a by being transmitted. For example, the optical filter may be configured to transmit a frequency corresponding to light emitted from the illumination circuit 910a. This may allow the light sensor (eg, 906a) to preferentially detect light from the illumination circuit 910a while filtering out light generated by other sources. For example, if the light sensor is located in a room that receives ambient natural light (eg, sunlight), the light sensor can substantially filter out the ambient natural light and primarily detect light from the lighting circuit 910a. . The optical sensor 906a can also be configured to effectively and accurately detect a range of light intensity, eg, a range of intensity that can be generated by the lighting circuit 910a. This allows the optical sensor 906a to detect light effectively and accurately for various intensity settings of the illumination circuit 910a.

  Motion sensor 908a may be configured to detect movement in room 902a. For example, the motion sensor can detect the movement of a resident in the room 902a. Motion sensor 908a includes passive sensors (eg, passive infrared (PIR) sensors), active sensors (eg, microwave (MW) sensors, ultrasonic sensors, etc.), and hybrid sensors (eg, both passive and active sensors). , Dual technology motion sensors). Passive sensors detect ambient energy changes without releasing energy. For example, a PIR sensor can detect infrared energy emitted by the human body (due to temperature associated with the human body). On the other hand, the active sensor emits an electromagnetic pulse or a sound wave pulse and detects its reflection. For example, the MW sensor emits a microwave pulse and detects its reflection. Since hybrid sensors can include both active and passive sensors, movement can be detected both actively and passively (hybrid detection). Hybrid detection has several effects, for example, the possibility of false detection of motion may be lower with a hybrid sensor than with an active / passive sensor.

  The lighting control device 904a is configured to communicate with the light sensor 906a and the motion sensor 908a. In the area near the lighting circuit 910a, for example, the motion sensor 908a can transmit a notification signal indicating that a motion has been detected in the room 902a to the lighting control device 904a. The light sensor 906a can send a notification signal to the lighting control device 904a that communicates that light emitted from the lighting circuit 910a has been detected. In addition, the notification signal may include information about the characteristics of the detected light, eg, intensity, bandwidth, etc. The lighting control device 904a can store data indicating a notification signal received from the motion sensor and the light sensor in the device database. The lighting control device 904a may include a clock and / or timer that allows the lighting control device 904a to track the time and / or duration of the received signals from the light sensor 906a and the motion sensor 908a. Tracking time and / or duration information can also be stored in the device database.

  The lighting control device 904a may be configured to receive and transmit data over the Internet. The lighting control device 904a, for example, infers information on environmental natural light from data on weather conditions, sunshine hours, etc. from online databases (eg, databases such as weather.gov, gaisma.com, noaa.gov, wunderground.com). can do. For example, the received data may include information about sunrise and sunset times in the geographic area associated with the lighting control system 900 and time. Based on this, the illumination control circuit 904a can estimate a period during which the environmental natural light cannot be used. In other examples, the received data may include information about weather conditions. The lighting control circuit 904a can, for example, infer that a cloudy situation can result in a decrease in ambient natural light. The lighting control device 904a can store data and / or inferred information in a device database. This allows the lighting control device 904a to be able to infer a pattern between the use of the lighting circuit 910a and the ambient natural light situation.

  The lighting control device 904a may be configured to determine one or more characteristics of the lighting circuit 910a. For example, device 904a determines the type of bulb (eg, incandescent, fluorescent, LED, halogen, high intensity discharge, full spectrum, UV, black light, antique, vintage) and wattage associated with lighting circuit 910a. be able to. The lighting control device 904a can also search an online database for detected bulb information. For example, the lighting control device 904a can download specifications (eg, information about voltage, wattage, emission, dimming, life expectancy, etc.) from an online database of manufacturers of detected bulbs. The lighting control device 904a can also download information about light sensors and motion sensors, eg, drivers associated with the light sensors and motion sensors. The determined characteristics and downloaded information about the lighting circuit 910a can be stored in a device database.

  The lighting control device 904a may be configured to receive data and / or instructions from a communication device 920 (eg, an input device such as a mobile phone, laptop, iPad®, keypad, touch panel, etc.). Additionally or alternatively, communication device 920 may be an input device (eg, keypad, touch panel, etc.). For example, the communication device 920 may provide instructions for the operation of the lighting control device 904a. The lighting control device 904a can turn on / off one or more light bulbs of the lighting circuit 910a based on the command. The communication device 920 can also instruct the lighting control device 904a to change the operating parameters of the lighting circuit 910a. For example, the lighting control device 904a may be instructed to increase / decrease the brightness of the lighting circuit 910a (by increasing / decreasing the power supplied to the lighting circuit). The communication device 920 can instruct the lighting control device 904a to perform one or more of the above functions after a certain time or period. For example, the communication device 920 can instruct the lighting control device 904a to set up a timer at the end when the desired function is performed. Through the communication device 920, information regarding the lighting control system 900 may be communicated to the lighting control device 904a. For example, the user can enter the room type of the rooms 902a-d (eg, bedroom, kitchen, living room, etc.). The user stops one or more lighting control subsystems in the rooms 902a-d for a desired period of time, for example, when the user goes out on vacation. The communication device 920 can communicate with the lighting control device 904a using short-range wireless technology (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc.) over a cellular network and / or a physical connection (eg, Ethernet cable). . Data and / or instructions received by the lighting control device 904a from the communication device 920 may be stored in a device database. The time when data and / or instructions are received can also be stored in the device database.

  The lighting control device 904a may be configured to communicate information to the communication device 920 and / or the output screen. For example, the lighting control device 904a communicates operating parameters associated with the lighting circuit 910a (eg, brightness of the lighting circuit 910a, provisional time the lighting circuit 910a is turned on / off, duration of operation of the lighting circuit 910a, etc.). Can do. The lighting control device 904a can transmit a notification signal from the optical sensor 906a and the motion sensor 908a to the communication device 920. For example, the communication device 920 may be notified that motion or light has been detected in the room 902a.

  Central lighting control device 904 may communicate with a lighting control subsystem distributed across a building (eg, rooms 902a-d) and provide central control to lighting control system 900. Central lighting control device 904 can control the operation of light sensors 906a-d, motion sensors 908a-d, lighting circuits 910a-d and lighting control devices 904a-d. For example, the central lighting control device 904 can instruct the lighting control device 904 to change the operating parameters of the lighting circuit 910a. Central lighting control device 904 may also receive notification signals from light sensors 906a-d, motion sensors 908a-d and communication device 920.

  Central lighting control device 904 may include a central device database. Data stored in the device database associated with the lighting control devices 904a-d may be periodically transferred to the central device database, for example. In some embodiments, the central lighting control device can request specific information from the device database of the lighting control device. For example, the central control device 904 can request the lighting control device 904a for information regarding one or more of the light sensor 906a, the motion sensor 908a, instructions from the communication device 920, and the like. FIG. 9B shows another example of a lighting control system 900. In this example, central lighting control device 904 also operates as a “lighting control device” for the lighting control subsystem (including light sensor 906a, motion sensor 908a, and lighting circuit 910a) associated with room 902a. To do.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of a central lighting control device 904 as described in FIG. 9B. The central lighting control device 904 includes a lighting circuit system 1010, a controller 1020, and a communication system 1030. The controller 1020 can control the operation of the lighting circuit system 1010 and the communication system 1030 and receive data from them. The controller 1020 includes a processor 1022 and a storage device 1024. The processor is configured to run an application that controls the operation of the lighting control system 900, and the storage device 1024 can store data relating to the lighting control system 900 (eg, a central device database, a device database, etc.).

  The illumination circuit system 1010 can transmit power to the illumination circuit 910a and detect the response. The lighting circuit system 1010 can include a power circuit 1014 that can supply power to the lighting circuit 910a and a detector circuit 1012 that can detect the response of the lighting circuit 910a. The power circuit 1014 may comprise a tuning voltage / current source that can provide an input voltage / current signal to the lighting circuit 910a. The detector circuit 1012 is configured to detect a response of the illumination circuit 910a that may include one or more of current, voltage, and impedance response. In some embodiments, the detector circuit 1012 may be a voltage sensing circuit capable of detecting a voltage response (eg, a voltage across the lighting circuit 910a) or a current sensing circuit capable of detecting a current response (eg, current flowing into the lighting circuit 910a). Can be included. The power circuit 1014 can also supply power to the light sensor 906a and the motion sensor 908a.

  The communication system 1030 is configured to communicate with the light sensor 906a, the motion sensor 908a, and the lighting control device (eg, 910a-d in FIG. 9A, 910b-d in FIG. 9B). For example, the communication system 1030 (eg, an antenna, a router, etc.) can send a command (eg, a command to detect light / motion) from the controller 1020 to the light sensor 906a and / or the motion sensor 908a. The instructions may be transmitted over the 2.4 GHz ISM band using various wireless radio technologies (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Low Power Radio (LPR), etc.). Additionally or alternatively, the instructions can be transmitted in the form of electrical signals (eg, current signals, voltage signals) or optical signals over physical connections (eg, transmission lines, Ethernet cables, etc.). The communication system 930 may be configured to receive a notification signal from the optical sensor 906a and / or the motion sensor 908a (eg, through the command transmission channel described above) and communicate the notification signal to the controller 1020.

  The communication system 1030 may also be configured to communicate with the communication device 920 through, for example, a cellular network, wireless radio technology, and the like. The communication system 1030 may include, for example, a router that can communicate with websites and online databases over the Internet. For example, the controller 1020 can instruct the communication system 1030 to access a website for bulb manufacturing (eg, bulbs in the lighting circuit 910a) and download relevant specifications. The communication system 1030 may also download software (eg, a driver) that may allow the controller 1020 to communicate with the optical sensor 906a and the motion sensor 908a, for example. The communication system 1030 can also download an updated operating system for the controller 1020.

  The illumination control device 904 can control the operation of the illumination circuits 910a to 910d based on notification signals from the optical sensors 906a to 906d and the motion sensors 908a to 908d. For example, if the lighting circuit 910a is switched on and no motion is observed by the motion sensor 908a during a predetermined period, the control device 904 can automatically switch the lighting circuit 910a off. The control device 904 can determine that the illumination circuit 910a has been switched on based on a notification signal from the optical sensor 906a and / or a response from the detector circuit 1012. The time period between when motion was last detected and when lighting circuit 910a was switched off may be based on input provided by the user through communication device 920, for example. This period can be different for different rooms. For example, the period may be longer in room 902a (eg, bedroom) than in room 902b (eg, toilet).

  The lighting control system 900 may be configured to control the operation of the lighting circuits 910a-d based on an analysis of one or more users' behavior of the system 900 and data obtained by the system 900. The behavior analysis includes, for example, pattern recognition of notification signals from the light sensors 906a-d and motion sensors 908a-d, instructions provided by the user through the communication device 920, and information obtained from the online database by the lighting control device 904. obtain. For example, the central lighting control device 904 may be notified by the light sensor 906a that the lighting device 910a is switched off at approximately one time during the weekday and approximately different times during the weekend. Based on this pattern, the lighting control device 904 can set a switch-off time to automatically switch off the lighting 910a, which varies on weekends and weekdays. The automatic switching off of the illumination 910a can be stopped when motion is detected by the motion sensor 908a and a notification can be sent to the communication device 920.

  The control device 904 may also include information obtained from an online database in analyzing the user's behavior. For example, the control device 904 may be notified that the user switches on the lighting 910a on a certain morning. Device 904 compares this behavior with weather conditions (known through online databases) and decides to turn on lighting 910a on the morning of the day if the sky is cloudy. Based on this pattern, the control device 904 can automatically switch on the lighting 910a on that day if the sky is cloudy. Furthermore, the control device 904 may learn that weather conditions affect the operation of the lighting circuit 910a but not the lighting circuit 910b. This occurs because the room 902a has a window associated with the lighting circuit 910a and receives environmental natural light, and the one room 902b does not have a window associated with the lighting circuit 910b and does not receive environmental natural light. obtain. The control device 904 can infer that the operation of the lighting circuit 910b is independent of weather conditions. In some embodiments, the control device 904 can change the operating parameters of the lighting circuit 910a based on weather conditions. For example, the control device 904 can change the brightness setting of the lighting circuit 910b based on weather conditions.

  Examples of subject matter and operations described herein may be provided by digital electronic circuitry or via computer software, firmware or hardware including structures disclosed herein and their structural equivalents, or It can be implemented in one or more combinations thereof. An embodiment of the subject matter described in this specification is one or more computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium for execution by or controlling a data processing device, ie, one or more of computer program instructions. It can be implemented as a module.

  The computer storage medium may be or be included in a computer readable storage device, a computer readable storage substrate, a random or serial access memory array or device, or one or more combinations thereof. Further, although a computer storage medium is not a propagation signal, the computer storage medium may be the source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagation signal. A computer storage medium may also be or be included in one or more separate physical components or media (eg, multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices).

  The operations described herein may be implemented as operations performed by a data processing device on data stored in one or more computer readable storage devices or received from other sources.

  The term “data processing apparatus” includes, by way of example, all types of apparatus, devices and machines for processing data including the aforementioned programmable processors, computers, system-on-chip, or a plurality or combinations thereof. The device may include special purpose logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). In addition to hardware, the device may also include code that creates an execution environment for the computer program in question, eg, processor firmware, protocol stack, database management system, operating system, cross-platform runtime environment, virtual machine or one of them. The code which comprises the above combination may be included. The device and execution environment can implement various different computing model infrastructures such as web services, distributed computing and grid computing infrastructure.

  A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including a compiled or interpreted language and a declarative or procedural language; It can be deployed as a stand-alone program or in any form including modules, components, subroutines, objects or other units suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may correspond to a file in a file system, though not necessarily. A program can be part of a file that holds other programs or data (eg, one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), a single file dedicated to the program, or multiple collaborations It can be stored in a file (eg, a file that stores one or more modules, subprograms or code portions). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

  The processing and logic flow described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors that execute one or more computer programs to perform actions by operating on input data and generating output. Processing and logic flow can also be performed by special purpose logic circuitry, such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and the device can also be implemented as such.

  Processors suitable for the execution of computer programs include, by way of example, both general purpose and special purpose microprocessors, as well as one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for performing actions in response to instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. In general, a computer also includes one or more mass storage devices for storing data, such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk or an optical disk, or receives data from or transmits data to or from them. It will be operably coupled to do both. However, a computer need not have such a device. In addition, the computer may include other devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable audio video players, game consoles, global positioning system (GPS) receivers or portable storage devices (to name a few). For example, it may be embedded in a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive). Devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include, by way of example, semiconductor memory devices such as non-volatile memory, including EPROM, EEPROM and flash memory devices, media and memory devices, magnetic disks such as internal hard disks or Includes all types of removable disks, magneto-optical disks, and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in, special purpose logic circuitry.

  To provide an interaction with the user, embodiments of the subject matter described herein include display devices for displaying information to the user, such as a CRT (CRT) or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitor, as well as the user It can be implemented on a computer having a keyboard and pointing device that can provide input to the computer, such as a mouse or trackball. Similarly, other types of devices may be used to provide interaction with the user, for example, feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, audio feedback or tactile feedback. The input from the user may be received in any form including acoustic, voice or haptic input. In addition, the computer sends a web page to the web browser on the user's user device in response to a request received from the web browser, for example, by sending the document to the device used by the user and receiving the document therefrom. To interact with the user.

  Embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification include back-end components, for example, as data servers, middleware components, such as application servers, or front-end components, such as users, in this specification. Implementation in a computing system including a user computer having a graphical display or web browser that can interact with embodiments of the described subject matter, or in any combination of one or more such backend, middleware or frontend components Is possible. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, eg, a communication network. Examples of communication networks include local area networks (“LAN”) and wide area networks (“WAN”), internetworks (eg, the Internet), and peer-to-peer networks (eg, ad hoc peer-to-peer networks).

  The computing system can include users and servers. A user and a server are generally remote from each other and typically operate through a communication network. The user and server relationship is caused by a computer program running on each computer and having a user-server relationship with each other. In some embodiments, the server sends data (eg, an HTML page) to the user device (eg, for the purpose of displaying data to the user interacting with the user device and receiving user input from the user). Data generated at the user device (eg, the result of the user interaction) may be received from the user device at the server.

  This specification includes details of a number of specific embodiments, which should not be taken in a limiting sense in the scope of any invention or what may be claimed, but specific implementations of a particular invention. Only the configuration specific to the example is illustrated. In the context of individual embodiments, certain configurations described in this specification can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, the various configurations described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable subcombination. Furthermore, while the above has been described as acting in a certain combination, even if initially claimed, such as one or more of the claimed combinations, in some cases it may be deleted from the combination, The claimed combinations may be targeted to partial combinations or variations of partial combinations.

  For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” refers to the direct or indirect joining of two members. Such a joint may be essentially stationary or movable. Such joining may be between two members or two members and any additional intermediate members that are integrally formed as one single unit with each other, or with two members or two members that are attached to each other. It can be realized with any additional intermediate member. Such a bond may be permanent in nature, or may be removable or removable in nature.

  It should be noted that the orientation of the various elements may vary according to other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be encompassed by the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that configurations of the disclosed embodiments may be incorporated into other disclosed embodiments.

  While various embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various other means and / or other means for performing the functions and / or obtaining one or more of the results and / or effects described herein. Alternatively, structures are readily conceived and each such variation and / or modification is considered to be within the scope of the embodiments of the invention described herein. More generally, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all parameters, dimensions, materials and configurations described herein are exemplary and that the actual parameters, dimensions, materials and / or configurations use the teachings of the invention. It will be readily apparent depending on one or more specific applications. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific inventive embodiments described herein. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are merely illustrative, and embodiments of the invention can be practiced within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, unless specifically described and claimed otherwise. It is understood that Inventive embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to each individual configuration, system, article, material, kit, and / or method described herein. Further, any combination of two or more such configurations, systems, articles, materials, kits and / or methods is such that such configurations, systems, articles, materials, kits and / or methods are not in conflict with each other. Cases are included within the scope of the invention of this disclosure.

  Also, the techniques described herein may be embodied as a method, at least one example of which has been provided. The actions performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable way. Thus, the embodiments may be performed in a different order than that shown, which may include performing several actions simultaneously, even though they are shown as successive actions in the illustrated embodiment. Can be built.

The claims should not be read as limited to the described order or elements unless stated to that effect. It should be understood that various changes in form and detail may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The priority of all embodiments within the spirit and scope of the following claims and their equivalents is claimed.

Claims (16)

A method for controlling a lighting control system comprising:
Detecting a temperature reading from a temperature sensor of each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules, wherein each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules is electrically connected to the respective lighting control module; A step configured to transmit an amount of electrical energy to a lighting circuit of a lighting facility;
Controlling at least one of the heater and the air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling by a heater or an air conditioning system based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor of the illumination control module. Method.   The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying an average temperature from the plurality of temperatures.   The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the adjustment in response to the lighting control module changing transmission of the amount of electrical energy to the lighting circuit of a lighting installation.   The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a weighted average temperature from the plurality of temperatures, wherein one or more lighting control modules that connect a light source to a respective lighting fixture are more heavily weighted.   The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a thermal map based on a position of the lighting control module.   The method further comprises identifying a distance between the lighting control modules via transmission of a wireless signal from one lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules to another lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules. Item 6. The method according to Item 5.   Each lighting control module in the plurality of lighting control modules is in a wall box or at least one of a predetermined range, and the method is a temperature reading that is a pre-specified threshold above the other readings The method of claim 1, further comprising excluding.   The method of claim 1, further comprising excluding temperature readings when a dimming circuit of the lighting control module is active. Detecting an occupancy state via an occupancy sensor of one or more lighting control modules;
The method of claim 1, further comprising changing the adjustment in response to detecting the occupancy state.   The method of claim 1, further comprising grouping the sensors into one or more groups based on a temperature within a predetermined range of each other.   The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more groups include groups corresponding to inner walls.   The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more groups include groups corresponding to outer walls. A lighting control system device,
A base module including a base housing forming a well, wherein the base module is positioned in the well and receives current from an AC power source to allow the base module to be electrically connected to a lighting circuit of a lighting fixture A base module containing a first temperature sensor including a first electrical connector connected to the configured power terminal and communicatively coupled to the first electrical connector;
A lighting switch module configured to at least partially nest in the well of the base module;
The lighting switch module includes:
Module housing,
A graphical user interface coupled to the module housing;
A second electrical connector configured to engage and electrically couple with the first electrical connector of the base module when nested therein;
A second temperature sensor coupled to the graphical user interface and the second electrical connector; and generating a plurality of lighting scenes by varying illumination of a light source positioned in the housing and connected to the lighting fixture A switch control circuit including a processor configured to regulate the flow of electrical energy to the lighting circuit via a dimmer circuit, the processor including the first temperature sensor and the first A lighting control system device comprising the switch control circuit configured to identify a temperature gradient between two temperature sensors. A method for controlling a lighting control system comprising:
A first temperature reading from a first temperature sensor positioned at the base of the lighting control module and positioned in the module housing of the lighting switch module configured to at least partially nest in the well of the base module. Detecting a second temperature reading from the second temperature sensor;
Said lighting switch module comprising controlling at least one of said heater and said air conditioning system to adjust heating or cooling by a heater or an air conditioning system based on said detected temperature.   Computer program product for operating a lighting control system device according to any one of claims 1-14. An illumination control system apparatus for automatic illumination adjustment comprising an illumination control system configured to operate according to any one of claims 1-15.